Malta will be marking the 40th anniversary of Freedom Day under the rule of speculators exploiting the country for the benefit of the few, a group of activists charged on Saturday.

Graffitti issued a statement on the third day of its camp 'Assedju PA' where activists are symbolically staging a "siege" outside the Planning Authority premises in Floriana.

"The PA is putting our country under siege with unbridled development, which is ruining our quality of life and compromising our future on this island," the NGO said.

For decades, the business class has accumulated power of a disproportionate nature, with the result that politics ended up becoming a slave to the interests of this class, Graffitti said.

Read: Demonstrators confront minister, demand stop to fuel stations

The fuel station policy is a clear example of all this. Although it was the same authorities which admitted that this policy is doing a great deal of harm since it permits 3,000m² petrol stations on natural and agricultural outside development zone land, it has remained unchanged.

At present that are 14 applications for petrol stations on ODZ land, with four of them already approved, and others which are still being processed. Together, these make up a total stretch of land five time the size of the Floriana granaries.

The petrol station policy is symptomatic of a much bigger and profound problem.

The list of "senseless and harmful development projects" which have been approved is endless.

"It is crucial for the people to fight with all their might against this rule by big business and their politician friends, which is ravaging our countryside and bulldozing over the interests of the majority. We hope to see the day when we will be able to celebrate our freedom from the rule of speculators."